West Virginia Contractor License Types
| License Type | Application Fee | Annual Renewal | Bond |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Building Contractor Commercial, business, or industrial structures built for the support, shelter, and enclosure of persons, animals, chattels, or movable property — where the work requires the use of more than two contractor classifications or the contractor supervises the whole or any part of the construction. General Building Contractors who want to perform electrical, plumbing, HVAC, piping, or general engineering work themselves must hold those additional classifications. | $90 current Board-set fee (statutory ceiling $150 per W. Va. Code § 30-42-8; fee set by Board at CSR § 28-2-5.4) | $90/year current Board-set fee (statutory ceiling $150); $25 late penalty if renewal is more than 15 days past expiration | No state license bond. Wage bond required of construction employers under § 21-5-14. |
| Residential Contractor Construction, repair, or improvement of real property used or intended to be used for residential occupancy. State license required once total project cost reaches $5,000. | $90 current Board-set fee (statutory ceiling $150 per § 30-42-8) | $90/year current Board-set fee (statutory ceiling $150); $25 late penalty after 15-day grace period | No state license bond. |
| Multifamily Contractor Construction, repair, or improvement of multifamily residential structures. | $90 current Board-set fee (statutory ceiling $150 per § 30-42-8) | $90/year current Board-set fee (statutory ceiling $150); $25 late penalty after 15-day grace period | No state license bond. |
| Electrical Contractor Contracting to install, erect, repair, or alter electrical equipment for the generation, transmission, or utilization of electrical energy. Sole proprietors who already hold an electrician's license under W. Va. Code § 29-3B-1 pay a reduced annual fee ($20). | $90 current Board-set fee (statutory ceiling $150; reduced to $20 for individuals already licensed as electricians under § 29-3B-4) | $90/year current Board-set fee (statutory ceiling $150; $20/year for qualifying electrician sole proprietors) | No state license bond. |
| Plumbing Contractor Installation, maintenance, extension, and alteration of piping, plumbing fixtures, appliances and appurtenances, venting systems, and public or private water supply systems within or adjacent to any building or structure — including gas piping, chilled water piping for refrigeration and comfort cooling, hot water piping for building heating, and piping for standpipes. | $90 current Board-set fee (statutory ceiling $150 per § 30-42-8) | $90/year current Board-set fee (statutory ceiling $150); $25 late penalty after 15-day grace period | No state license bond. |
| Heating, Ventilating, and Cooling (HVAC) Contractor Contracting to install, erect, repair, service, or alter HVAC equipment or systems used to heat, cool, or ventilate residential and commercial structures. HVAC technicians are separately certified by the Division of Labor. | $90 current Board-set fee (statutory ceiling $150 per § 30-42-8) | $90/year current Board-set fee (statutory ceiling $150); $25 late penalty after 15-day grace period | No state license bond. |
| General Engineering Contractor Public or private works requiring specialized engineering knowledge and skill — irrigation, drainage and water supply, electrical generation, swimming pools, flood control, harbors, railroads, highways, tunnels, airports, sewers and sewage systems, bridges, inland waterways, pipelines for liquid or gaseous substances, refineries, chemical plants, piers and foundations, and incidental structures. | $90 current Board-set fee (statutory ceiling $150 per § 30-42-8) | $90/year current Board-set fee (statutory ceiling $150); $25 late penalty after 15-day grace period | No state license bond. |
| Piping Contractor Installation of process, power plant, air, oil, gasoline, chemical, or other piping, and boilers and pressure vessels. | $90 current Board-set fee (statutory ceiling $150 per § 30-42-8) | $90/year current Board-set fee (statutory ceiling $150); $25 late penalty after 15-day grace period | No state license bond. |
| Specialty Contractor Catch-all classification for contracting services that do not substantially fall within any other enumerated classification. Used for emerging or narrow trades not otherwise covered. | $90 current Board-set fee (statutory ceiling $150 per § 30-42-8) | $90/year current Board-set fee (statutory ceiling $150); $25 late penalty after 15-day grace period | No state license bond. |
Processing time: Typical application-to-license timeline is several weeks after passing the Business & Law and trade exams, depending on Prov scheduling and Board review of the § 30-42-5(e) affidavit (workers' comp, employment security, wage bond compliance). from application submission to license issuance.
West Virginia (WV) licenses contractors at the state level through the West Virginia Contractor Licensing Board, an arm of the WV Division of Labor. The authority is the Contractor Licensing Act, W. Va. Code Chapter 30, Article 42 (§§ 30-42-1 et seq.) — recodified from the former Chapter 21, Article 11 by HB 2006 in 2021. A state contractor license is required for any residential construction project of $5,000 or more, or any commercial project of $25,000 or more, in total contract value (labor plus materials). Applicants must pass a Business & Law exam plus a trade exam administered by Prov, Inc., register with the workers' compensation and employment security funds, and comply with applicable wage bond requirements. Consumers can verify any WV contractor license through the WV Contractor Licensing Board's public Contractor License Search.
Step 1: Get the Contractor's WV License Number
W. Va. Code § 30-42-6 requires licensed contractors to include their state license number in all contracting advertising and in every fully executed, binding contract. If a West Virginia contractor can't or won't give you a license number, treat that as a serious red flag — the number is your starting point for every verification step that follows.
Step 2: Look Up the License on the WV Contractor Licensing Board Site
Use the WV Contractor Licensing Board's Contractor License Search to confirm the license is active and in the correct classification for the work you're hiring for. You can also verify HVAC technician, plumber, and manufactured-housing licensee records through the Division of Labor's Database Search page.
WV Contractor License Search →
Step 3: Confirm the Classification Matches the Work
A Residential Contractor license does not authorize commercial work, and a General Building license does not cover specialized electrical, plumbing, HVAC, piping, or general engineering work unless the contractor holds those additional classifications. Match the classification on file to the scope of your project.
Step 4: Verify Workers' Compensation and Wage Bond Compliance
Under W. Va. Code § 30-42-5(e), contractors must certify compliance with the workers' compensation fund (§ 23-1-1 et seq.), the employment security fund (§ 21A-1-1 et seq.), and applicable wage bond requirements (§ 21-5-14). If you're hiring for a larger project, ask the contractor for proof of current workers' comp coverage and general liability insurance.
- Workers' compensation: required for employers with one or more employees
- Wage bond: required for commercial construction employers under § 21-5-14
- General liability insurance: not a statutory state minimum, but commonly required by project owners and lenders
Step 5: Check for Disciplinary History or Cease-and-Desist Orders
The Contractor Licensing Board may issue a cease-and-desist order, impose civil penalties from $200 to $1,000 after hearing, or pursue misdemeanor charges for continued unlicensed activity under § 30-42-14. Call the Licensing Section at (304) 558-7890 or email licensing@wv.gov to ask whether a contractor has any open enforcement action.
West Virginia Contractor Insurance Requirements
| Insurance Type | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Workers' Compensation | Required for all West Virginia employers with one or more employees, administered through the WV Offices of the Insurance Commissioner. License applicants must certify compliance with the workers' compensation fund under § 30-42-5(e). |
| General Liability | Not set at a specific statutory minimum for contractor licensure, but is a standard requirement of most project owners, lenders, and local building departments. Manufactured-housing contractors must submit a certificate of liability insurance with their application. |
| Wage Bond | Commercial construction employers (and certain mineral severance/production/transportation operators) must furnish a wage bond to the WV Division of Labor under § 21-5-14 unless exempted. |
West Virginia Contractor Bond Requirements
West Virginia does not require a surety bond to obtain a state contractor license. Contractors who employ workers in commercial construction must, however, file a wage bond with the WV Division of Labor under W. Va. Code § 21-5-14 to secure payment of wages and benefits. Nonresident contractors separately post a sales-and-use-tax bond with the WV State Tax Department.
West Virginia Consumer Protections for Home Improvement
West Virginia law provides several important protections for homeowners hiring contractors:
- Contractors must include their WV license number in all advertising and in every binding contract under W. Va. Code § 30-42-6; violation can bring a warning, reprimand, or fine up to $200.
- Licensed contractors must keep the license (or a copy) posted in a conspicuous position at every active construction site.
- The Notice and Opportunity to Cure Construction Defects Act — W. Va. Code Chapter 21, Article 11A — gives homeowners a written notice-and-cure process before filing suit over residential construction defects.
- General consumer protection provisions, including deceptive-practices remedies, are codified at W. Va. Code Chapter 46A, Article 6.
- The Storm Scammer Consumer Protection Act (W. Va. Code Chapter 46A, Article 6M) regulates roofing and storm-damage contracts, including consumer rights disclosures.
- The WV Contractor Licensing Board's public Contractor License Search lets any consumer verify license status, classification, and expiration before signing a contract.
What Happens if You Hire an Unlicensed Contractor?
Hiring an unlicensed contractor in West Virginia puts you at risk:
- Cease-and-desist order from the Contractor Licensing Board under § 30-42-14
- Civil penalties of $200 to $1,000 after a Board hearing
- Misdemeanor charges for continued unlicensed work after a cease-and-desist order — up to $5,000 in fines and jail time (up to one year on third or subsequent offense)
- Administrative penalty up to $200 per day on contracts of $25,000 or more performed without a license
- Loss of Board complaint and investigation remedies for the consumer who hired the contractor
- Homeowner insurance claims may be denied for damage tied to unlicensed work
- Local permits and inspections may be denied, stopping the job partway through
How to Report an Unlicensed Contractor in West Virginia
Report suspected unlicensed contracting or unsafe contractor conduct to the WV Division of Labor — Licensing Section. Field inspectors investigate both complaint-driven reports and routine compliance. Provide the contractor's name, any advertising or contract showing (or omitting) a license number, and a description of the work.
- Phone: (304) 558-7890
- Fax: (304) 558-5174
- Email: licensing@wv.gov
- Mail: WV Division of Labor — Licensing Section, 1900 Kanawha Boulevard East, State Capitol Complex, Building 3, Room 200, Charleston, WV 25305
How to File a Complaint Against a Registered Contractor in West Virginia
The West Virginia Contractor Licensing Board, housed inside the WV Division of Labor, investigates complaints against licensed and unlicensed contractors. Under § 30-42-14, the Board can issue cease-and-desist orders, impose civil penalties, pursue misdemeanor charges for continued unlicensed activity, and seek injunctive relief in circuit court.
You can file a complaint by:
- Phone: (304) 558-7890
- Email: licensing@wv.gov
- Mail: WV Division of Labor — Licensing Section, 1900 Kanawha Boulevard East, State Capitol Complex, Building 3, Room 200, Charleston, WV 25305
For residential construction defects, follow the notice-and-cure procedure under § 21-11A before filing suit. For deceptive practices, consumers may also contact the WV Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division under Chapter 46A.
West Virginia Contractor Bond Schedule
West Virginia's bonding requirements for contractors sit outside the state license itself. Two bonds commonly apply: the wage bond (for construction employers) and the nonresident contractor's sales-and-use-tax bond.
| License Type | Bond Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Wage Bond | Set by the Division of Labor based on payroll | Required of commercial construction employers under W. Va. Code § 21-5-14 unless the employer qualifies for an exemption. |
| Nonresident Contractor Sales & Use Tax Bond | Cash deposit of 6% of the gross contract value, or an approved corporate/umbrella surety bond | Required of out-of-state contractors by the WV State Tax Department to guarantee payment of sales and use tax (see TSD-330). |
What Makes West Virginia Contractor Licensing Unique
Licensing Act Moved From Chapter 21 to Chapter 30
HB 2006 (2021) recodified the Contractor Licensing Act from W. Va. Code Chapter 21, Article 11 to Chapter 30, Article 42 (§§ 30-42-1 et seq.), grouping it with other occupational licensing boards. Related consumer-facing provisions — notably the Notice and Opportunity to Cure Construction Defects Act — remain at Chapter 21, Article 11A.
Thresholds Raised to $5,000 Residential / $25,000 Commercial
HB 2006 (2021) also raised the dollar threshold for mandatory state licensure from the historical $2,500 to $5,000 for residential work and $25,000 for commercial work. Projects below those values do not require a state contractor license, though local permits and building codes still apply.
Landscaping and Painting Are Excluded
Under W. Va. Code § 30-42-3, persons whose business is limited to landscaping services or painting services are not 'contractors' and do not need a state license, regardless of project value.
Exams Administered by Prov, Inc.
The Contractor Licensing Board contracts with Prov, Inc. to deliver both the Business & Law exam and the trade-specific exam. Prov replaced the prior vendor in 2024; from April 1, 2025 onward, only Prov-recommended reference materials are permitted in the testing room.
Per-Day Administrative Penalty on $25,000+ Jobs
Under § 30-42-14, any unlicensed person who undertakes a construction contract of $25,000 or more may be assessed an administrative penalty of up to $200 per day of violation — on top of civil penalties ($200–$1,000) and misdemeanor criminal penalties for continued activity after a cease-and-desist order.
West Virginia Contractor License Fees
Frequently Asked Questions: West Virginia Contractor Licensing
Do I need a West Virginia contractor's license for small jobs?
Only if the total contract value crosses the state threshold. Under W. Va. Code § 30-42-3, a state license is required for residential work of $5,000 or more and commercial work of $25,000 or more. Below those amounts you don't need a state license, though local building permits may still be required.
How do I check a contractor's license in West Virginia?
Use the WV Contractor Licensing Board's Contractor License Search at wvclboard.wv.gov/verify. You can search by business or licensee name to confirm the license is active and held in the correct classification (e.g., Residential, General Building, Electrical, Plumbing, HVAC). If you need help, call the Licensing Section at (304) 558-7890.
What classifications does the WV Contractor Licensing Board issue?
The Board licenses across multiple classifications including General Building, Residential, Multifamily, Electrical, Plumbing, HVAC, General Engineering, Piping, Excavation, Concrete, Masonry, Steel Erection, Sprinklers and Fire Protection, Utilities (Water & Sewer), Remodeling and Repair, Manufactured Home Installation, and a catch-all Specialty classification.
Does West Virginia require a contractor surety bond?
No — there is no state contractor license bond. However, commercial construction employers must file a wage bond with the Division of Labor under § 21-5-14, and nonresident contractors must post a sales-and-use-tax bond with the WV State Tax Department. Local jurisdictions may impose their own bonding requirements.
What exams do WV contractors have to pass?
All license applicants must pass a Business & Law examination plus a trade-specific examination for their chosen classification. Both are administered by Prov, Inc. Computer-delivered exams cost $59.95 each. Qualifying individuals must be an owner, partner, corporate officer, or full-time employee of the business seeking the license.
How much does a West Virginia contractor license cost?
The current Board-set application and annual renewal fee is $90 per W. Va. CSR § 28-2-5.4 (with a statutory ceiling of $150 under § 30-42-8). Sole proprietors already holding a state electrician's license pay $20 per year. Late renewal (more than 15 days past expiration) adds a $25 penalty. Budget separately for exam fees ($59.95 per exam via Prov) and any local licensing or bonding requirements.
What happens if I hire an unlicensed contractor in West Virginia?
The Contractor Licensing Board can issue a cease-and-desist order against the contractor and impose civil penalties of $200–$1,000 after hearing. Continued unlicensed work is a misdemeanor with escalating fines (up to $5,000) and possible jail time. On projects of $25,000 or more, the Board may also assess up to $200 per day the violation continues. As a consumer you lose access to the Board's complaint process and may face insurance and permit problems if something goes wrong.
Does West Virginia require workers' compensation for contractors?
Yes, if the contractor has one or more employees. Under W. Va. Code § 30-42-5(e), license applicants must certify compliance with the workers' compensation fund (§ 23-1-1 et seq.) and the employment security fund (§ 21A-1-1 et seq.). Workers' comp is administered through the WV Offices of the Insurance Commissioner. Sole operators with no employees are generally not required to carry coverage.
Sources
Facts on this page were verified against the following primary sources on April 20, 2026. Licensing laws, fees, and bond amounts change — always confirm with the official board before acting.
- WV Division of Labor — Licensing Section (home) — Primary page for the WV Contractor Licensing Board and related licensing programs. (retrieved 2026-04-20)
- WV Division of Labor — Licensing Contact Information — Mailing address, phone, fax, and email for the Licensing Section. (retrieved 2026-04-20)
- WV Division of Labor — Database Search — Portal for Contractor License Search, HVAC, plumber, and manufactured-housing lookups. (retrieved 2026-04-20)
- WV Contractor License Search (verification tool) — Public contractor license verification. (retrieved 2026-04-20)
- W. Va. Code § 30-42-3 — Definition of 'Contractor' and exclusions — $5,000 residential / $25,000 commercial threshold; landscaping and painting exclusions. (retrieved 2026-04-20)
- W. Va. Code § 30-42-5 — Application requirements — Affidavit certifying workers' compensation, employment security, and wage bond compliance. (retrieved 2026-04-20)
- W. Va. Code § 30-42-6 — License number on advertising and contracts — Requirement to display license number on all advertising and binding contracts. (retrieved 2026-04-20)
- W. Va. Code § 30-42-8 — License fees and expiration — Annual renewal; Board may set application and renewal fees up to $150. (retrieved 2026-04-20)
- W. Va. Code § 30-42-14 — Penalties for unlicensed contracting — Cease-and-desist orders, $200–$1,000 civil penalty, misdemeanor fines and jail, $200/day administrative penalty on $25,000+ jobs. (retrieved 2026-04-20)
- W. Va. Code Chapter 30, Article 42 — Contractor Licensing Act — Full text of the current Contractor Licensing Act (recodified from Chapter 21, Article 11 by HB 2006 in 2021). (retrieved 2026-04-20)
- W. Va. Code Chapter 21, Article 11A — Notice and Opportunity to Cure Construction Defects Act — Pre-suit notice-and-cure procedure for residential construction defects. (retrieved 2026-04-20)
- W. Va. Code Chapter 46A, Article 6M — Storm Scammer Consumer Protection Act — Consumer protections for storm-damage roofing and related contracts. (retrieved 2026-04-20)
Other States
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